Abstract
Proximal humeral fractures are common injuries, especially in elderly and osteoporotic patients. The initial management can be operative or non-operative, depending on the fracture pattern and patient factors. The development of symptomatic non-union or malunion of proximal humeral fractures is rare, and can occur with both operative and non-operative treatment of the acute fracture. The non-union rate following proximal humeral fractures has been reported to be from 1 to 20 % in the literature [1–3]. A recent systematic review of non-operative management of proximal humerus fractures revealed a radiographic union rate of 98 % [1]. Malunions are much more common with a 13 % rate of varus malunion reported in the same study. However, malunions are frequently asymptomatic or well-tolerated especially in the elderly, a low demand population that typically suffers from these injuries. Similar rates of non-union and malunion have been reported with operative management of proximal humerus fractures [4]
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Duquin, T.R., Sperling, J.W. (2015). Complication Management Malunion/Non-union Proximal Humeral Fractures. In: Biberthaler, P., Kirchhoff, C., Waddell, J. (eds) Fractures of the Proximal Humerus. Strategies in Fracture Treatments. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20300-3_23
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20300-3_23
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